seized him like a fury； beating him about the head and face with icy
wings； till he was almost stunned。 He took the road to the farm；
which lay through the fir…wood； but he soon became aware that he had
lost his way and might tramp about in the fir…wood till daylight； if
he lived as long。 Then； thinking of Margaret； he lost his presence
of mind； and rushed wildly along。 He thought he must have knocked
his head against the trunk of a tree； but he could not tell； for he
remembered nothing more but that he found himself dragging Margaret；
with his arms round her； through the snow； and nearing the light in
the cottage…window。 Where or how he had found her； or what the
light was that he was approaching； he had not the least idea。 He
had only a vague notion that he was rescuing Margaret from something
dreadful。 Margaret； for her part； had no recollection of reaching
the fir…wood； and as； long before morning； all traces were
obliterated； the facts remained a mystery。 Janet thought that David
had some wonderful persuasion about it； but he was never heard even
to speculate on the subject。 Certain it was； that Hugh had saved
Margaret's life。 He seemed quite well next day； for he was of a
very powerful and enduring frame for his years。 She recovered more
slowly； and perhaps never altogether overcame the effects of Death's
embrace that night。 From the moment when Margaret was brought home；
the storm gradually died away； and by the morning all was still； but
many starry and moonlit nights glimmered and passed； before that
snow was melted away from the earth； and many a night Janet awoke
from her sleep with a cry； thinking she heard her daughter moaning；
deep in the smooth ocean of snow； and could not find where she lay。
The occurrences of this dreadful night could not lessen the interest
his cottage friends felt in Hugh； and a long winter passed with
daily and lengthening communion both in study and in general
conversation。 I fear some of my younger readers will think my story
slow； and say： 〃What！ are they not going to fall in love with each
other yet？ We have been expecting it ever so long。〃 I have two
answers to make to this。 The first is： 〃I do not pretend to know so
much about love as youexcuse methink you do； and must confess； I
do not know whether they were in love with each other or not。〃 The
second is： 〃That I dare not pretend to understand thoroughly such a
sacred mystery as the heart of Margaret； and I should feel it rather
worse than presumptuous to talk as if I did。 Even Hugh's is known
to me only by gleams of light thrown； now and then； and here and
there； upon it。〃 Perhaps the two answers are only the same answer
in different shapes。
Mrs。 Glasford； however； would easily answer the question； if an
answer is all that is wanted； for she； notwithstanding the facts of
the story； which she could not fail to have heard correctly from the
best authority； and notwithstanding the nature of the night； which
might have seemed sufficient to overthrow her conclusions； uniformly
remarked； as often as their escape was alluded to in her hearing；
〃Lat them tak' it They had no business to be oot aboot thegither。〃
CHAPTER XV。
TRANSITION。
Tell me； bright boy； tell me； my golden lad；
Whither away so frolic？ Why so glad？
What all thy wealth in council？ all thy state？
Are husks so dear？ troth； 'tis a mighty rate。
RICHARD CRASHAW。
The long Scotch winter passed by without any interruption to the
growing friendship。 But the spring brought a change； and Hugh was
separated from his friends sooner than he had anticipated； by more
than six months。 For his mother wrote to him in great distress； in
consequence of a claim made upon her for some debt which his father
had contracted； very probably for Hugh's own sake。 Hugh could not
bear that any such should remain undischarged； or that his father's
name should not rest in peace as well as his body and soul。 He
requested； therefore； from the laird； the amount due to him； and
despatched almost the whole of it for the liquidation of this debt；
so that he was now as unprovided as before for the expenses of the
coming winter at Aberdeen。 But； about the same time； a
fellow…student wrote to him with news of a situation for the summer；
worth three times as much as his present one； and to be procured
through his friend's interest。 Hugh having engaged himself to the
laird only for the winter； although he had intended to stay till the
commencement of the following session； felt that； although he would
much rather remain where he was； he must not hesitate a moment to
accept his friend's offer； and therefore wrote at once。
I will not attempt to describe the parting。 It was very quiet； but
very solemn and sad。 Janet showed far more distress than Margaret；
for she wept outright。 The tears stood in David's eyes； as he
grasped the youth's hand in silence。 Margaret was very pale； that
was all。 As soon as Hugh disappeared with her father； who was going
to walk with him to the village through which the coach passed； she
hurried away； and went to the fir…wood for comfort。
Hugh found his new situation in Perthshire very different from the
last。 The heads of the family being themselves a lady and a
gentleman； he found himself a gentleman too。 He had more to do； but
his work left him plenty of leisure notwithstanding。 A good portion
of his spare time he devoted to verse…making； to which he felt a
growing impulse； and whatever may have been the merit of his
compositions； they did him intellectual good at least； if it were
only through the process of their construction。 He wrote to David
after his arrival； telling him all about his new situation； and
received in return a letter from Margaret； written at her father's
dictation。 The mechanical part of letter…writing was rather
laborious to David； but Margaret wrote well； in consequence of the
number of papers； of one sort and another； which she had written for
Hugh。 Three or four letters more passed between them at lengthening
intervals。 Then they ceasedon Hugh's side first； until； when on
the point of leaving for Aberdeen； feeling somewhat
conscience…stricken at not having written for so long； he scribbled
a note to inform them of his approaching departure； promising to let
them know his address as soon as he found himself settled。 Will it
be believed that the session went by without the redemption of this
pledge？ Surely he could not have felt； to any approximate degree；
the amount of obligation he was under to his humble friends。
Perhaps； indeed； he may have thought that the obligation was
principally on their side； as it would have been； if intellectual
assistance could outweigh heart…kindness； and spiritual impulse and
enlightenment； for； unconsciously in a great measure to himself； he
had learned from David to regard in a new and more real aspect； many
of those truths which he had hitherto received as true； and which
yet had till then produced in him no other than a feeling of the
common…place and uninteresting at the best。
Besides this； and many cognate advantages； a thousand seeds of truth
must have surely remained in his mind； dropped there from the same
tongue of wisdom； and only waiting the friendly aid of a hard
winter； breaking up the cold； selfish clods of clay； to share in the
loveliness of a new spring； and be perfected in the beauty of a new
summer。
However this may have been； it is certain that he forgot his old
friends far more than he himself could have thought it possible he
should； for； to make the best of it； youth is easily attracted and
filled with the present show； and easily forgets that which； from
distance in time or space； has no show to show。 Spending his
evenings in the midst of merry faces； and ready tongues fluent with
the tones of jollity； if not always of wit； which glided sometimes
into no too earnest discussion of the difficult subjects occupying
their student hours； surrounded by the vapours of whisky…toddy； and
the smoke of cutty pipes； till far into the short hours； then
hurrying home； and lapsing into unrefreshing slumbers over intended
study； or sitting up all night to prepare the tasks which had been
neglected for a ball or an evening with Wilson； the great
interpreter of Scottish songit is hardly to be wondered at that he
should lose the finer consciousness of higher powers and deeper
feelings； not from any behaviour in itself wrong； but from the
hurry； noise； and tumult in the streets of life； that； penetrating
too deep into the house of life； dazed and stupefied the silent and
lonely watcher in the chamber of conscience； far apart。 He had no
time to think or feel。
The session drew to a close。 He eschewed all idleness； shut himself
up； after class hours； with his books； ate little； studied hard；
slept irregularly； working always best between midnight and two in
the morning； carried the first honours in most of his classes； and
at length breathed freely； but with a dizzy brain； and a face that
revealed； in pale cheeks； and red； weary eyes； the results of an
excess of mental labouran excess which is as injurious as any
other kind of intemper